St Augustine: Philosophy in an Hour

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Augustine’s Confessions details his personal struggles with morality, his spiritual crisis and the conversion to Christianity that ultimately led him to his major contribution to philosophy: the fusion of the doctrines of Christianity and Neoplatonism. This provided Christianity with a strong intellectual backing by tying it to the Greek tradition of philosophy. Augustine also produced important philosophic ideas of his own, including theories of time and subjective knowledge that anticipated by many centuries the work of Kant and Descartes.

Logic: A Very Short Introduction

Logic is often perceived as having little to do with the rest of philosophy, and even less to do with real life. In this lively and accessible introduction, Graham Priest shows how wrong this conception is. He explores the philosophical roots of the subject, explaining how modern formal logic deals with issues ranging from the existence of God and the reality of time to paradoxes of probability and decision theory. Along the way, the basics of formal logic are explained in simple, non-technical terms, showing that logic is a powerful and exciting part of modern philosophy.

Andrew H. says:"Very sloppy reasoning"

Publisher's Summary

Philosophy for busy people. Listen to a succinct account of the philosophy of St Augustine in just one hour.

Augustine’s Confessions details his personal struggles with morality, his spiritual crisis and the conversion to Christianity that ultimately led him to his major contribution to philosophy: the fusion of the doctrines of Christianity and Neoplatonism. This provided Christianity with a strong intellectual backing by tying it to the Greek tradition of philosophy. Augustine also produced important philosophic ideas of his own, including theories of time and subjective knowledge that anticipated by many centuries the work of Kant and Descartes.

Here is a concise, expert account of St Augustine’s life and philosophical ideas - entertainingly written and easy to understand. Also included are selections from St Augustine’s work, suggested further reading, and chronologies that place St Augustine in the context of the broader scheme of philosophy.

What the Critics Say

"Well-written, clear and informed, they have a breezy wit about them . . .I find them hard to stop reading" (New York Times)

"Witty, illuminating, and blessedly concise" (Wall Street Journal)

"Each of these little books is witty and dramatic and creates a sense of time, place, and character.... I cannot think of a better way to introduce oneself and one's friends to Western civilization." (Boston Globe)

It gives enough food for thought in one hour. I like the style of presentation.

I recommend this to all students and instructors of philosophy. At times I could tell that the author was rushing through complex ideas too quickly, but that is understandable as the length of the audiobook is only one hour. I have one comment, the author makes judgemental statements, referring to some subjects of theology that Augustine has worked on as unworthy while praising his works on philosophy. Discussions on theology have their importance too and should not be ill-judged by those who value philosophy.

I give it a 5 star overall. As it is an excellent overall brief introduction to St Augustine.

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